The referendum will go on the spring 2014 election ballot in April. Students will vote on whether to raise the fee by $15 from the current $73.50 to $88.50.
A majority of voters must vote in favor of the $15 raise on the referendum for it to pass. Once passed, the Board of Trustees will give the final approval, according to SG President Pat Kelly.
The fee increase will aid the loss of value from inflation since the fee was last assessed in 2002. Because of inflation, the $73.50 fee today is only worth $52, according to Kelly’s report to the Senate.
As part of the referendum, students will also vote on whether to redistribute the funds among the three main groups that get proceeds every year: Student Media Board, AU Club Council and Student Government.
Currently, SG receives 72 percent of the budget while Media Board and the AUCC each receive 14 percent. If the referendum passes, the budget will be allocated so that SG receives 50 percent and Media Board and AUCC will each receive 25 percent, The Eagle previously reported.
After approving the referendum, the Senate also passed a resolution to publicly support the fee increase and reallocation. Campus at Large Senator Will McNamara, who co-sponsored the resolution with Class of 2017 Senator Jeff Giantonio, said the Senate should support the referendum because it would allow all student organizations to function at the highest level.
“We have to ask ourselves if we are going to allow these clubs to continue to be chronically underfunded or if we are going to take a stand and support our fellow organizations,” McNamara said. “It’s important that we don’t just have a strong Student Government, but that we have strong organizations, that we have strong media. It’s all necessary so that we have a vibrant student body.”
